Royal visit brings out Calgary scalpers

CALGARY, Alberta, July 7 (UPI) -- Scalpers were asking as much as $500 for "free" wristbands for access to events for British Prince William and his wife Catherine in Calgary, Alberta, Thursday.

Organizers handed out 3,600 wristbands Wednesday for two events where the royal couple were scheduled appear and within an hour, many were posted for sale on online classified sites, the Calgary Sun reported.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spent much of Wednesday at an undisclosed location outside the city for "retreat" time and were due to begin ceremonies in the city after 4:30 p.m., the Calgary Herald said.

There will be government receptions including one with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife, a wreath-laying ceremony, rodeo demonstrations and a visit to a not-for-profit medical research facility.

The royal couple will be offered white cowboy hats on their arrival at the airport, organizers said.

Friday, the couple will launch the annual Calgary Stampede and its raucous parade. In the afternoon, they conclude their 9-day tour of Canada and fly to Los Angeles for a 2-day visit.

While there, William will play in a polo match and the couple will host a black-tie dinner to introduce aspiring young British film talent to Hollywood executives.